Europe (UEFA) Part 1 - Road to WC 1998
| Europe (UEFA) - Part One | |
|---|---|
| Paul Durkin David Elleray Manuel Díaz Vega José María García-Aranda Antonio López Nieto Marc Batta Alain Sars Gilles Veissière Bernd Heynemann Hellmut Krug Piero Ceccarini Pierluigi Collina | ENG (1955) ENG (1954) ESP (1954) ESP (1956) ESP (1958) FRA (1953) FRA (1961) FRA (1959) GER (1954) GER (1956) ITA (1953) ITA (1960) |
This section covers the selection races in the five big UEFA associations - England, Italy, Spain, Germany and host nation France. There will be a separate post covering the rest of the European referees.
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| Nearly a Blatter victim - Marc Batta |
David Elleray was England's top referee in the late 1990s. Despite being rejected at EURO 1996 for a performance assessed as too lenient by UEFA (missed RCs; 10 YCs shown(!)), the Harrow schoolmaster would have been selected for the French World Cup.
However, as this portion of a widely interesting documentary helpfully explains, Elleray decided to forgo what would be his only chance of refereeing at the World Cup in order to try and obtain promotion in his professional life. In his stead - well-spoken Paul Durkin represented England.
After having usurped Elleray for the selection, Durkin took charge of some very sonorous Champions League matches in the springtime of 1998, chief of which was the semifinal return between Real Madrid and Juventus. Crucially for this tournament, Durkin had to wait until the final round of matches to handle his first.
The most famous referee ever, Pierluigi Collina, was not even a FIFA referee during World Cup 1994 - what explains such a fast rise for this unique referee? Even more remarkably, UEFA did not even see him as one of the top four(!!) Italian referees in the summer of 1996 - the other two Europeans at Atlanta 1996 were fourth officials at the English tournament.
Somebody at FIFA obviously saw Collina's talent, and he was selected for Atlanta's Olympic Games. It's quite well known that he took charge of the final (he was not the last person fooled by Ariel Ortega), but where Collina's career really hung in the balance was the quarterfinal game between Portugal and France.
An extremely intense match, Collina held his nerve until the end - if you can find the sequence leading to the golden goal penalty, it is certainly worth watching! The Italian referee impressively pulled it off, and announced himself as a top class official at that competition.
Piero Ceccarini was Collina's rival for this tournament - Ceccarini was praised for UEFA for his rigorous handling of his EURO 1996 game, a strong argument in his favour given FIFA's wishes for World Cup 1998.
However, as this portion of a widely interesting documentary helpfully explains, Elleray decided to forgo what would be his only chance of refereeing at the World Cup in order to try and obtain promotion in his professional life. In his stead - well-spoken Paul Durkin represented England.
After having usurped Elleray for the selection, Durkin took charge of some very sonorous Champions League matches in the springtime of 1998, chief of which was the semifinal return between Real Madrid and Juventus. Crucially for this tournament, Durkin had to wait until the final round of matches to handle his first.
The most famous referee ever, Pierluigi Collina, was not even a FIFA referee during World Cup 1994 - what explains such a fast rise for this unique referee? Even more remarkably, UEFA did not even see him as one of the top four(!!) Italian referees in the summer of 1996 - the other two Europeans at Atlanta 1996 were fourth officials at the English tournament.
Somebody at FIFA obviously saw Collina's talent, and he was selected for Atlanta's Olympic Games. It's quite well known that he took charge of the final (he was not the last person fooled by Ariel Ortega), but where Collina's career really hung in the balance was the quarterfinal game between Portugal and France.
An extremely intense match, Collina held his nerve until the end - if you can find the sequence leading to the golden goal penalty, it is certainly worth watching! The Italian referee impressively pulled it off, and announced himself as a top class official at that competition.
Piero Ceccarini was Collina's rival for this tournament - Ceccarini was praised for UEFA for his rigorous handling of his EURO 1996 game, a strong argument in his favour given FIFA's wishes for World Cup 1998.
Pierluigi Pairetto, he of Romania - Argentina at the last World Cup, and indeed referee of the EURO 1996 final, had the first leg of the Iran - Australia playoff, but left the FIFA list at the end of 1997, so was not eligible for a second World Cup (and probably Grondona would have blocked him anyway).
Both Ceccarini (UAE - South Korea) and Collina (USA - El Salvador) handled important cross-zone games in late 1997 qualifying. Collina's game was more frantic, he correctly awarded a penalty (DOGSO?), but missed a clear red card later in the match - no matter in the end.
FIFA saw the future in Collina's image, and he was chosen to represent Italy in France. Meanwhile, the most famous episode in Ceccarini's career occurred a couple of months before the World Cup - two decisions in a mere Derby d'Italia minute.
Both Ceccarini (UAE - South Korea) and Collina (USA - El Salvador) handled important cross-zone games in late 1997 qualifying. Collina's game was more frantic, he correctly awarded a penalty (DOGSO?), but missed a clear red card later in the match - no matter in the end.
FIFA saw the future in Collina's image, and he was chosen to represent Italy in France. Meanwhile, the most famous episode in Ceccarini's career occurred a couple of months before the World Cup - two decisions in a mere Derby d'Italia minute.
The race in Spain was without doubt the strongest of any single country! Manuel Díaz Vega and Antonio López Nieto both lost out despite extremely prestigious appointments by FIFA in this cycle - to the Iran - Japan playoff and to a Le Tournoi game respectively.
Díaz Vega got his chance in 1994, López Nieto in 2002 - 1998 was the time of José María García-Aranda. FIFA took something of a gamble on this referee at Olympics 1996, and García-Aranda repaid that faith, with a very strong performance in the Nigeria - Brazil semifinal.
In addition, they entrusted him with a very important match in the CONCACAF zone, essentially a decisive one, El Salvador - Jamaica. The Spaniard clearly aroused a lot of trust from FIFA - not least, being appointed for the opening game of the World Cup!
Hellmut Krug refereed the 1998 Champions League final, but missed out on a third consecutive major international tournament tournament. Having managed two games at World Cup 1994, the same as EURO 1996, Krug was not selected for a second World Cup by FIFA.
Hellmut Krug refereed the 1998 Champions League final, but missed out on a third consecutive major international tournament tournament. Having managed two games at World Cup 1994, the same as EURO 1996, Krug was not selected for a second World Cup by FIFA.
His performance in 1994's Italy - Norway did not impress Michel Platini - "the referee might have been called Krug, but he shouldn't be drinking champagne after that game", the Frenchman quipped. Platini was head of the organising committee for his home World Cup; hardly increasing the German ref's chances of being there.
Krug's loss was Bernd Heynemann's gain - Heynemann attended EURO 1996, and was assigned the crucial Finland - Hungary decisive qualifier (yes, the one with the comic last minute own goal). Heynemann could add a World Cup to a palmarés which sported Cup Winners Cup and Champions League semifinals.
Krug's loss was Bernd Heynemann's gain - Heynemann attended EURO 1996, and was assigned the crucial Finland - Hungary decisive qualifier (yes, the one with the comic last minute own goal). Heynemann could add a World Cup to a palmarés which sported Cup Winners Cup and Champions League semifinals.
After Michel Vautrot and Joël Quiniou (both important men at this tournament), French refereeing had another genuinely top class referee who they could rely on for their home World Cup - Marc Batta.
However, Batta very nearly missed the tournament on the angry whim of the then FIFA General Secretary, Sepp Blatter. The whole contretemps, which eventually blew over, owes its origin to the crucial Germany - Portugal qualifier, which Marc Batta was in charge of.
However, Batta very nearly missed the tournament on the angry whim of the then FIFA General Secretary, Sepp Blatter. The whole contretemps, which eventually blew over, owes its origin to the crucial Germany - Portugal qualifier, which Marc Batta was in charge of.
Rui Costa was issued with a controversial second yellow card for "delaying the restart" (clip here). My feeling is that Batta does a very good job of not looking surprised when he checks his notes and sees that Costa has already been booked, and has to go.
Germany went on to equalise and Portugal missed out on the playoff, finishing third behind Ukraine; the second yellow card decision still arises great passion for Costa and his nation to this day! Blatter was infuriated with this call, and stated in a newspaper interview that he would block Batta from attending the World Cup.
Germany went on to equalise and Portugal missed out on the playoff, finishing third behind Ukraine; the second yellow card decision still arises great passion for Costa and his nation to this day! Blatter was infuriated with this call, and stated in a newspaper interview that he would block Batta from attending the World Cup.
Given that France simply had to have a referee at their home tournament, this opened the door for both Gilles Veissière and Alain Sars. Both were put in charge of huge qualifying games - Veissière had Greece - Denmark in the final round of group matches, Sars the first leg of the Croatia - Ukraine playoff.
One can see quite clearly that FIFA were preparing a potential Plan B for the tournament. In the event, Vautrot and Quiniou managed to persuade Blatter to go back on his word, and Batta was in; allegedly much to the fury of Veissière - who would get his chance in time.
One can see quite clearly that FIFA were preparing a potential Plan B for the tournament. In the event, Vautrot and Quiniou managed to persuade Blatter to go back on his word, and Batta was in; allegedly much to the fury of Veissière - who would get his chance in time.
Referees:
Paul Durkin (ENG)
José María García-Aranda (ESP)
Marc Batta (FRA)
Bernd Heynemann (GER)
Pierluigi Collina (ITA)
José María García-Aranda (ESP)
Marc Batta (FRA)
Bernd Heynemann (GER)
Pierluigi Collina (ITA)
Assistant Referees:
Mark Warren (ENG)
Mark Warren (ENG)
Fernando Tresaco Gracia (ESP)
Jacques Poudevigne (FRA)
Jacques Poudevigne (FRA)
Erich Schneider (GER)
Gennaro Mazzei (ITA)
Gennaro Mazzei (ITA)
Collina was appointed to the 1996 Olympics after less than 6 months on the FIFA List! That never happened before or after! His stars were really alligned - no other Italian could be assigned to World Cup while he was active.
ReplyDeleteElleray keeps saying that he gave up WC98 for a job interview. However, I am not aware of any other top referee who would ever do that by his own will...